The present invention relates to a valved lid for attachment to a surface of a liquid-holding container. The lid allows a filled container to be held and stored without fear of the contents being contaminated or spilled, thus contaminating the surrounding area or a person handling the container or transferring its contents. Built into the lid is a valved connector which allows transfer of the liquid contents into a second container without loss or spillage of any of the container contents.
More particularly, the invention relates to a valved lid for attachment to a cup or jar used to collect urine samples. The valved lid includes structure on its external surface sized and shaped to connect with a test tube or centrifuge tube. In performing a urinalysis, urine is transferred from a collection container to a second container, such as a test tube, into which test strips or indicator chemicals are added to diagnose for chemical imbalance, infections, venereal disease, AIDS, HIV, tumor markers, or other indicators of health problems. Additionally, a complete urinalysis usually includes transfer of urine to a centrifuge tube so that sediment or cells in the urine can be separated from the urine and studied under a microscope. Some of these tubes have a circular open end while others can have various different shaped openings. For example, specially designed centrifuge tubes, which also have a microscope slide portion, are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,414, 4,865,812 and 5,030,421. U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,421 to Muller shows a tube with a unique flattened cylindrical cross section and lip on one end and a microscope slide portion on the other end.
The usual procedure is to pour the urine from the collection container into the test tube or centrifuge tube or to transfer the urine using a syringe or pipet, procedures which require removal of the lid or piercing the lid with the transfer instrument. However, because of serious concerns about contaminating the laboratory environment, transmitting infection to the medical technician handling the urine, or cross contamination between samples, these procedures are no longer acceptable. Additionally, disposal or cleaning of the syringe, pipet or other laboratory transfer instruments is costly, time consuming and subject to various governmental controls.
Thus, there is a need for a system which will allow transfer fluids from a first container to a second container without use of additional instruments or utensil and which eliminates the possibility of fluid leakage and contamination of the surroundings or the laboratory technician.